Lawyer claims ex-F1 star victim of €17 million extortion plot

Former F1 star Adrian Sutil has allegedly been the victim of a €17 million blackmail scheme, according to his lawyer Dirk Schmitz.

Sutil was arrested towards the end of last year after being accused of aggravated fraud and embezzlement, accusations that the German strenuously denies.

The 42-year-old - who raced in F1 between 2007-2014, not claiming a single podium in that time - has reportedly been held in Germany since that initial arrest, but now his lawyer Schmitz has said that he has been the victim of an alleged extortion plot.

Schmitz claims that Sutil's family have been blackmailed, resulting in the loss of a series of high-value vehicles, equating to the value of around €17million (£14.7million).

He says that nine cars have been stolen from Sutil's private garage in Monaco, including a Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Ferrari California, a Koenigsegg Regera and a Koenigsegg One.

"The message was clear: hand over the cars or there'll be trouble," Schmitz stated in an article published by Auto Motor und Sport, which also stated that the blackmail began with an anonymous phone call from someone who allegedly belongs to the Russian Wagner group, a private military group.

"These cars are so unique that they can hardly go unnoticed," Schmitz continued.

Why was Sutil arrested?

Back in November, it was reported by German media that Sutil had been 'arrested' following an 'international raid'.

The former driver was detained for alleged fraud and embezzlement, accusations that he has since come out and denied alongside his lawyer Schmitz.

Sutil was previously a friend of Hamilton, after the pair had spent time racing together in junior racing series.

But the duo's friendship became strained after an incident in 2011 at a Shanghai nightclub that prompted another run in with the law for Sutil.

The German driver was involved in an incident with Lotus team executive Eric Lux, who became injured after Sutil had struck him on the neck with a broken champagne glass.

Hamilton was also in the club during the incident and was summoned as a witness, but there has never been any suggestion the seven-time champion had any involvement.

Hamilton declined to testify and then allegedly changed his phone number without telling Sutil, who was found guilty of grievous bodily harm the following year.

Sutil was handed an 18-month suspended sentence with a fine as a result.

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